


Ache

by LaraWrites



Category: Divergent Series - Veronica Roth
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-07
Updated: 2015-04-16
Packaged: 2018-03-21 19:44:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3703327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaraWrites/pseuds/LaraWrites
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set just before all the happenings of Divergent, in the time of Natalie Prior and her entering Chicago. Contains masses of spoilers unless you've read all of the books. When the opportunity arrives for someone to enter Chicago to stop the massacre of the Divergents, Davids cousin, Charles, throws himself forward; only to be overshadowed by Natalie Wright. He learns more about the city, and decides he can hold back his curiosity no longer</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

He loves her

I can see it in his eyes, whenever he looks at her, or talks about her. I don't know whether to be disgusted at the fact my cousin has fallen in love at the age of 17 or happy about the fact that he has found something he loves more than his work. His parents are worried about him, I've often heard Uncle Luke mumble about how kids his age should be having fun, not spending all day slaving on a computer. David argues that by the age of 17 the citizens of Chicago have made all their life choices and have started work. I don't say anything; I rarely do. But when Natalie Wright arrived at the Bureau he changed completely. He pretended to obsess over her because she's 'Genetically Pure' but as Uncle Luke points out, we all are. And I don't see him running to open doors for me. I can see why he loves her, f course I can. She has thick brunette hair and eyes that smile even before her mouth does. I wish him all the best on his quest for love. Although deep down, some part of me hopes he gets hurt.

That seems unfair, and it probably is. After all, it's not his fault his parents are the ones still living. It's not his fault mine dies five years ago. It's not his fault that while we both look incredibly similar, his brain works faster than mine. It's not his fault he's more respected than me; more loved. But it is his fault that he used to bully me mercilessly in our younger years and maybe it's for that reason I constantly wish for his downfall. Or then again, maybe it isn't. After all I understand why he doesn't like me- even I have to admit I got the looks of the family. The thick sandy blonde hair, deep green eyes and easy smile. I have a friendly face. His face was made for a computer screen. Another reason why he hates me is because Uncle Luke never approved of his life choices- to spend his days slaving away on countless experiment rather than spending time with his own family. Luke says it's a wonder the loss of his Aunt and Uncle didn't make him appreciate his remaining family more, but i don't say anything. 

For the time being, Uncle Luke and Aunt Martha are my acting parents. I'm fine with that; David is not. But he is 17, and I am 14, I need parents more than he does. And since he's determined to shun his own I don't see why he objects about me giving them a son's love. He is spiteful and stubborn, and now on top of that, he's in love.

 

* * *

 

 

"A  _meeting_?" I ask. David doesn't look up from his meal, but Natalie smiles at me.

"You know what's happening in Chicago, Charlie," She says. It's true, I slave away over the screens constantly. Chicago fascinates me; i love every second of it. Even if it is more like watching a reality show rather than peoples lives, but It feels like I am one of them. I grew up surrounded by these people- albeit on a screen.

"I didn't know it was bad enough to require a  _meeting_ ," I reply

"Will you stop saying the word like it's poison?" David snaps and Natalie lays a hand on him to calm him down. I ignore my cousin, deciding that now would be a good time to tuck into my hamburger. A fact pops into my mind and it's out before I can hold it back.

"Abnegation don't eat hamburgers," I say. Natalie has the decency to look even slightly interested, but David just rolls his eyes.

"No one cares about experiment 5B, Charles," He hisses. I note how he doesn't just say ' _Chicago'_

"I guess they do cousin," I reply, "Or at least enough to have a meeting about it in a few hours," And I can't help but grin because I've won this one, and he knows it. His response is to not respond, to ignore me completely. So instead I focus all my attention on Natalie, telling her about what happened in Chicago that morning. It was the morning of the aptitude tests.

"There were surprisingly few Divergents," I tell her. "Disappointingly few, actually. One's called Marcus Eaton and I think he'll chose Abnegation, because he's well on his way to becoming their leader already- and he hasn't even passed initiation!" She's smiling with me, and I know somehow her interest is not feigned. She, like me, is curious. "Then there's an Amity girl who got Dauntless- which is practically unheard of! And there's an Erudite who got Abnegation, which is also quite strange. And a Candor who got Amity, and that's about it. There was another Divergent called George Wu, he's an Erudite but I think he'll transfer what with the Erudite sniffing around." Finally I can tell David can't stand it any longer. He gets up quite suddenly and leaves without a word. I try to suppress my smile in front of Natalie, and to my surprise she doesn't go after him.

"Just ignore him, Charlie," She says. I don't bother to tell her it's what I've been doing most of my life, so I just nod. Once he's completely out of eyeshot, she turns back to me and grins, her eyes lighting up.

"If you had to chose a faction, which would it be?" She asked. I frown in thought.

"But Natalie, we'd be Divergent? We're GP?" She hits me playfully.

"I know that stupid, I asked which one would you  _choose_?"  _  
_

"Oh!" I reply "You first," A glassy look covers her eyes as she goes into a deep thinking phase.

"Hmm," She starts "I'm not really sure. I like the excitement of Dauntless, the idea of bravery. But I think i'd like Abnegation too." I look at her and pull a face.

" _Would_ you?" I ask, putting some chips into my mouth." But they're so...  _stiff!_ " I couldn't really imagine living in Abnegation. It would be so stifling, so hard never to think of yourself. Maybe its just because I'm selfish. Natalie laughs.

"I know," She says, "But there's a certain beauty to it, don't you think?" I shake my head, eating more chips.

"Nope," I say through my full mouth.

"Probably Abnegation," She decides, spearing a chip with her fork.

"Your turn," She prompts and I bite my lip as I think.

"It's a competition between Dauntless and Candor," Natalie nearly spits out her chip.

" _Candor,_ " She exclaims like it's ludicrous and I shrug.

"The honesty is brutal, but refreshing don't you think? No lies no deceit, and ultimate trust,"

"But surely that would be the best place for a betrayal? And besides you could't go to Candor, under the truth serum you'd tell everyone about us." I sigh and roll my eyes.

" _Buzz kill,_ " I hiss and she laughs and shakes her head.

"Candor," I insist, "We'd just better hope I'm immune to the truth serum!" And then I hear a beep and check my watch. I draw back from the table and pick up my tray. 

"Well," I say, "The meeting's in just over an hour and I want a shower first,"

"You'll be late," She warns. She hasn't moved from the table.

"It won't take me an hour to shower," I protest. She shrugs.

"You'll be late anyway; you're always late," I sigh and turn to walk away, calling over my shoulder.

"Maybe you should be in Candor too, because you're  _brutally_ honest!"


	2. Two

When I slip into the room the meeting has already begun, and when Natalie catches my eyes she shakes her head and points at her watch and I scowl at her. Paul Vyling is talking slowly about the situation in Chicago, a situation I am massively aware of because I am obsessed with that particular experiment. The situation is simple; Norton the leader of Erudite is hunting down and killing off Gp's- Divergents. 

"This is, of course, counter productive to the aims of the experiment," Vyling says, and I realise I hate scientists and the complex way they put everything. Why not just say 'This is bad'? " So we are provided with two solutions. The first is to once again reset the city -which seems like such a waste considering the problem could be fixed, not to mention the fact it was reset not ten years ago!" I was four, but i still remember the factionless uprising. No one is likely to forget, considering the damage it caused. "The second is our preferred option. This requires sending someone  _inside_ the compound to get most of the Divergents out, and attempt to save the rest. This individual will keep their identity, and correspond to David. We like the idea of having someone on the inside, we think it's rather useful." 

My heart surges, This could be my chance- my chance to integrate myself into the world I followed since I was young. The world I submerged myself in after the death of my parents. To start anew, to have a new name and new opportunities. To live my life with incredible purpose- to make my dreams of becoming Candor come true. I wouldn't have to chose Candor; I imagine myself briefly as a daring Dauntless, working the control rooms day and night. As a guitar playing Amity, working the land and keeping the peace. As an Erudite scientist, working my way up the ranks to discover more about Serums, and more about human nature. I even briefly see myself as Abnegation, helping everyone and raising a family. This is my chance. I open my mouth to speak.

"I'll go," Strange, I don't remember my voice being so high. Or smooth.  _It's not your voice, numskull,_ I hiss at myself as I realise it is Natalie who steps forward. Something inside of me registers surprise, but it is completely smothered by my raging disappointment. David's mouth flies open and he stutters slightly, stopping himself when he realises that he can't stop her. Natalie gives him an almost sympathetic look. I almost laugh at how ironic it is, that instead of his annoying cousin leaving him forever, it's the girl he adores. Instead, I groan. Luckily for me it is completely drowned out by cheers of admiration as people slap Natalie on the back and congratulate her. I want to do the same, but I jut don't have it in me. There's no point in offering myself up now, they wouldn't want me anyway. 

Vyling starts to debrief Natalie, but I can't stay without the possibility of bursting into tears. Instead I retreat to the control room. The people there know me; I am a regular visitor. They even make me a cup of coffee while I settle down in my usual chair to watch the goings on of Chicago. One scene in particular catches my eye, and i watch from Camera 24 a rather nervous looking Marcus wipe his sweaty hands on the edge of his gray shirt.  _What's he doing?_ I think to myself. It's late, and it's also his choosing ceremony tomorrow. He's supposed to get a good nights sleep! More importantly, why is he looking around like that? And why does he keep staring at his watch? 

The scene is so interesting I momentarily forget my disappointment and turn up the volume to it's highest level. I imagine I can hear the thud of his heartbeat. Actually, it's more of a  _clip_ kind of noise. Only then do I realise it's not his heart, it's footsteps approaching him. The Erudite girl who got Abnegation -Evelyn- approaches him, wearing her hair in a sensible pony tail, and wearing a blue shirt and pencil skirt. When he sweeps her into a kiss I can't help but spit my coffee out all over myself. 

"What is going  _on?_ " I say out loud in disbelief and slight repulsion. Evelyn is kissing Marcus back, wrapping her arms around his neck and closing her eyes. He slithers his arms around her waist and pushed against her, moving one hand behind her head as he kisses her. When they finally break away I've lost the desire to be sick.  _  
_

"Hi Evelyn," He says, his low voice unusually calming.

"Oh Marcus," She says, running her hands through his short Abnegation hair. "I can't believe there's only one day left,"  _Till what?_ I ask myself then immediately answer my own question- until they can be together, after the choosing ceremony where I'm pretty sure they'll both chose Abnegation. I realise this can't have been the first time they've met; there's something I must have missed. Only briefly does it occur to me that this is someone's life I'm watching, but the sensation of guilt passes and I return my attention to the screen, where the lovers are once again kissing.

This time she wraps her legs around him and he picks her up in his strong arms. I wonder how he got to be so strong, but he looks to me like he was just built that way. Like he popped out of the womb with muscles. He pulls her hair out of her ponytail, and even though it's so tight she gasps, she doesn't protest. Her long brunette hair falls in a cascade  of waves. He runs his hands through her hair, and I wonder if it bothers here that he's messing it up- Erudite are neat people. His other hand moves to fit itself to her waist. I have to remind myself that these people are only two years older than me. One, if you count the fact it's my birthday tomorrow. Evelyn runs her hands down Marcus' back and lets out a noise that's halfway between a sigh and a moan. I move back from the screen, hoping they're not going to get  _too_ intimate. Maybe I've already invaded their privacy too much, but luckily for me they draw back and her feet return to the ground. He strokes her cheek affectionately and smiles. 

"What did you get in your test today?" She asks and I watch Marcus stiffen slightly, unwilling to share his results. 

"Abnegation," He replies eventually and I notice how easily the lie rolls off his tongue. Stiffs are not good liars.

"Me too," Evelyn says, grasping one of his hands between hers. It almost strikes me as funny, the difference in size between them both. Marcus is big, not just in height but in build too. He is strong and large. Evelyn is tiny. she is quite curvy for a sixteen year old girl, but she is small and slight and mouse like.  _He could crush her,_  I surprise myself in thinking. The pair say their farewells and leave with another drawn out kiss, and I spend the next few minutes watching a group of Amity sixteen year olds sit around a campfire and sing to a guitar. It's so calming, I forget Evelyn and Marcus and I forget the momentous opportunity that has passed me by.


	3. Chapter 3

"Happy Birthday!" Aunt Martha says so loudly I think I momentarily go deaf in one ear. She holds the cake up with so much excitement that for a second I think she's going to throw it at me. My Uncle repeats her greeting, and I notice he is already digging in to his piece of cake. I sit and Martha cuts my a huge slice, and practically force feeds it to me before cutting me another.

"David, get yourself down here," she calls up the stairs as I dig in to my second piece. Natalie enters from another doorway, already dressed and looking like she never even went to sleep. 

"Happy Birthday, Charlie!" She exclaims and shoves a present into my face. I feel slightly guilty about not congratulating her last night.

"Thanks," I say through cake, taking the present, "When are you going into Chicago?" She sits and doesn't mention the fact that I left, which I'm grateful for.

"Four days," She says. "They're going to put me in Dauntless so I don't have to explain the tattoo's to everyone," I nod and eat more cake, tearing into the present, which is flat and book-shaped.

"I bet It's a puppy!" I say. It's not. It's a book. " _Human Biology_ " I read "Sounds like a science lesson,"

"It is," She says, "You'll love it. Besides, that ones off David," She reaches down and I wonder vaguely why David didn't give me the present himself. "This one is off me,"

It's a very large box, so large that it goes past my knees when it sites on the floor. I grin at her

"This one  _has_ to be a puppy!" It's a puppy. Natalie tells me it's called a Bernese Mountain dog, and it's a very small puppy. Uncle Luke chokes on his cake.

"That's a  _puppy?_ " He spits "It's huge!" But I can barley even hear him. My new puppy looks up and me and yip's playfully.

"I think I'm in love," I mumble and Natalie laughs. Aunt Martha walks back into the room and for a second I expect her to freak out, but instead she just smiles.

"Don't worry, Charlie," She says. "Nat ran it by me on Thursday. I want you to have a pet," I grin at her and lift my new puppy out of it's box, sitting down with it in my arms. The puppy licks my face and yips, and licks my face again. Natalie laughs and her laugh is so light that my puppy turns to her and yips again.

"What will you name him?" Uncle Luke asks, stealing another slice of cake. Natalie comes over and strokes him, and he licks her hand.

"You should call him Hero," She says.

"Snapper," Martha calls from the doorway

"Arthur," Luke says.

"This little guy?" I say, ruffling his fur. "He's Wolfgang Fitzgerald Fudgeworth," There is a moment of silence. "I'm gonna call him Fudge for short,"

"Fudge," Natalie says, testing it.

"He's not even brown?" My uncle mumbles but Fudge clearly agrees with his new name as he yips happily and licks my hand.

 

 

* * *

 

As much as I want to spend all day with my new companion, I don't want to miss watching the choosing ceremony in Chicago. So I give Natalie permission to show Fudge around the whole compound. I ask her if she's sure she's okay with missing the Choosing Ceremony- she is about to go and live there- But she said she was positive. I get the sneaky suspicion she's going to talk and talk to David, but who am I to judge? So i leave her and make my way to the control room. It surprises me to see only Freda on duty, but before I can ask any questions she interrupts.

"I knew you'd show up!" I try to get a word in but she doesn't stop for breath "I was wondering If you'd be okay with manning the camera's because It's only me tonight because Tony's got flu and I knew you wouldn't want to miss the choosing ceremony and I'll be back before five, It's only because I have a few errands to run and I know you're more than capable-"

"Freda?"

"- I mean lets face it you probably know more about these camera's than me! And you literally just need to keep an eye on them, I doubt anything will actually happen and I daresay you'll actually enjoy it and there's a thought! You should apply for a job here! You'd get in in seconds and then you could get  _paid_ to sit here and watch this stuff-"

"Freda!"

"- You're 15 now right? Go for it Charles you'll totally get the job, I mean you're GP and everything so there won't even be a struggle especially with David being your cousin and everything and you know it's now a bad job as far as they go-"

"FREDA!" I snap "Yes, I will mind the camera's for you! Now go- no more words,"

"Oops! Sorry Charlie, you know how once i get going I just can't seem to-"

"Shh!" I say "Zip it!" She nods and leaves the room, sticking her head around the corner and saying.

"Happy birthday, by the way,"

By the time I've settled into my chair with a cup of coffee the ceremony has already begun, but that's okay. I always find the first bit boring anyway. This year the ceremony is run by Amity, which is always different because Amity has no official leader. When it's their turn Amity votes in three people to run the ceremony, and this year it's Johanna Reyes, Kenneth Krill and Dan Farris. Dan Farris does most of the speaking because he is a real people's person. They make the usual formal announcements and start calling out the names. I scan the line for Marcus, who is easy to find as he is a head and shoulders above everyone else. Evelyn is more difficult to seek out, but I find her. Today she wears a blue dress with a black shirt on underneath, her hair pinned back like the other girls in her faction. 

The first dozen people that go up are boring, they don't defect and I lose interest, searching the crowd for children my age. I find a Candor boy with shoulder length black hair and a hooked nose, with hunched shoulders. I find an Amity girl wearing a red dress with long sunshine blonde hair and a rosy complexion. My eyes rest on another, a dauntless kid my age with a face covered in tattoo's and long dreadlocks which i am instantly jealous of. My eyes are just resting on an Auburn Erudite with small glasses when I sense a tense atmosphere, and when I look back I see the first defection. 

A Candor girl with shoulder length blonde hair has moved to Dauntless. And i can tell by the ruthless look in her eyes that she belongs there. The look is beyond description. It's raw. I hear two sobs before I can locate their owner; the apparent mother of the girl. I can only tell it's her mother by the identical hairline and colour. The woman has put her hands over her face so no one can see her break. But we can all hear it.

After her, thirteen more people defect. Three to Amity, from Abnegation, Candor and Erudite. Four to Erudite, from Candor and Dauntless. Two to Candor, both from Erudite and the remainder to Dauntless, mostly from Candor. I note that only one has defected from Abnegation so far, and I also hunt down all of the Divergent's and discover that one has returned to Erudite.  _Big mistake,_ I think. Maybe I should make a note of these people for Natalie?

"Evelyn Johnson," The name jolts me from my thought and I watch the small girl clip clop her way onto the platform. She holds the knife in her hand, moving it over and over before finally cutting herself, gasping slightly as it pierces her skin. She turns and smiles at Marcus before dropping her blood on the gray stones of Abnegation. There's a resigned round of applause, so calm it cannot hide the angry cry that is ripped from the throat of a woman in blue, who I assume is Evelyn's mother.  _I guess she won't be coming on visiting day,_ I think, as Evelyn walks away from here. Before the ceremony concludes, Three more Defect to Dauntless, two to Erudite, two to Candor and one more to Amity. Marcus also drops his blood on the stones and walks off, as expected. There's another defection to Amity, another two to Candor and then the ceremony is over. I note subconsciously how Abnegation lost one, and gained one. Perfect numbers.

I sit back and wait for Freda to return, once again opening my mind to the opportunity of a job here, in the control room 


	4. Chapter 4

Needless to say, once Natalie entered Chicago I followed her vigilantly. I requested a job in the control room and was instantly granted it, being as the manager was a good friend of my fathers and our family. I worked long hours of pretty much just watching Chicago, 'Monitoring' i believe was the official word. Of course It meant putting up with Freda sometimes, but she had found I was quite willing to cover for her if she slipped away during a shift, so I didn't really see her that often. Meanwhile, I followed my friends through initiation. I watched the Dauntless fights and the zip lining, I watched the Candor insult each other ruthlessly, I watched the Amity staging more campfires and concerts, and I also watched Marcus and Evelyn lose themselves in selflessness. I watched their love story blossom. Throughout all this, I managed to keep an eye on the massacre of GP's and also, Natalie. She fit right into Dauntless. I was told they altered a few memories to slip her in, and they told her she had to be inconspicuous. I wondered if she might struggle with this, having missed out on the Dauntless lifestyle the others had lived. But she took me by surprise and slipped right into routine, like she had lived there all her life. I had to remind myself that Natalie did not live my life of luxury, she had come from the fringe and seen death and worse. Natalie trained for Erudite in the confines of her room. She read book after book and tested herself regularly. I knew she was worried she wouldn't pass initiation; she was afraid she wasn't clever enough. She was always clever to me, but I've seen Erudite and I know her worries. I followed her new life, and strangely I wasn't alone

The other person who was closely monitoring Natalie, was David. David hadn't been seen for two days after Natalie left, when the first letter arrived. Whatever was written in it must have cheered him up, for he returned to normal- almost. He told me she was sending him reports, and insiders view on Chicago. He didn't directly watched the footage, but over dinner in the evening I'd tell him about Natalie and how she was doing and any stories of her I had seen during the day. For once he listened instead of snapping at me, listened with interest even. David was snapping a lot less, he was less grouchy all of the time. Best of all, he was being nicer to me, treating me with respect and once or twice, compassion. I was starting to think that maybe- just maybe- this mutual loss might bring me and David closer together. Might give us that brotherly bond I had craved for so many years. Then came the incident.

It was roughly two months after Natalie had gone into Chicago, and I was catching up on the Marcus and Evelyn story. The pair had passed initiation, and even got married the previous week. I had watched most of the wedding, but I missed some of it towards the end. As I watched more footage of them over the last few days, I noticed they were fighting. They had an argument I believe, over a stupid thing. Evelyn had not offered to help him wash up, or something like that. As a result, Evelyn did both the cooking  _and_ the washing up yesterday and the day before, but Marcus was still annoyed with her.

" _Dude,_ " I muttered, "Get over it," _  
_

But he didn't. they had just finished their meal in silence, and Evelyn looked so upset that my heart went out to her.

"Marcus," She said quietly. " _Please,_ " 

"Don't ' _Marcus please'_ me, Evelyn," He snapped back, " And would you stop sniveling?"

"Will you just  _talk_ to me goddammit Marcus!" She cried out and he snapped his head up and gave her a look that sent chills down my spine.

"Careful," He said, and it wasn't a warning. It was a threat. Evelyn looked away, down at the empty plates but he stared straight at her, his gaze unflinching.

"I think it's your turn to wash up," She announced, and I couldn't help but admire her bravery.

"Excuse me?" He said, barely keeping the anger out of his voice.

"Don't you," Evelyn gulped "Don't you think it would be the  _selfless_ thing to do?" At first, I thought this was blind stupidity. Until I realised she wasn't being sarcastic or arrogant; she genuinely meant it, she was trying to help him to be selfless. Marcus didn't seem to think so. He rose slowly from his chair, menacingly.

"What did you just say to me?" He asked smoothly, his voice a whisper. Evelyn seemed frozen in fear. Marcus took a step forward, and she scrambled out of her chair and stepped back nervously to match him.

"What did you just say to me?" He repeated, walking towards her. For every step he took she moved back, until she was pressed up against the wall and had nowhere left to go. Marcus squared up to her, standing so close there was barely an inch between them. They stared each other out, eye to eye. The movement was so sudden you would have missed it had you blinked; Marcus' hand flew up and struck her across the face so hard she cried out.

"Shut up," He snapped, grabbing her arms and digging his nails in until she gasped. "Bitch," I moved backwards in my chair, as If to get away from this scene; it was horrific. He punched her in the stomach so she doubled over, so that when he kicked her legs out from under her she fell flat on the floor. I felt all the colour drain from my face as I saw what Marcus was doing next; Slipping his belt out of the hooks on his jeans.

"You don't tell me what to do," He said while he did it. Evelyn was curled up on the floor, so small it was as though he were beating a child, not his wife. An image came to me, from the first time I saw them meet.  _He could crush her_. He folded the belt up in his hands.

"This is for your own good," He said, and he raised the belt above his head.


End file.
